Strategic relevance (relevance for MEDEA+)


This project relates to the work area 2.1 System-on-chip requirements in design methodologies and tools of the MEDEA+ program. It supports the European effort towards a system-level approach focussed on design methods and tools for system-level design and architecture exploration.

Proven automated design flows from a high-level design description to the final layout exist for digital applications whereas a lot of engineering effort has to be put into the design of analog and mixed-signal circuits and systems. The work of the proposed project covers most of the design steps for mixed-signal applications: top-down design (incl. specification, modeling and simulation), circuit synthesis, design centering, and layout generation. The resulting tools and design methods will greatly improve the productivity in the design of mixed-signal systems. To achieve these goals, leading large companies dealing with these issues in Europe have formed a consortium together with representatives from the SME and CAD sector, research institutes, and universities.

In the context of strategic relevance, Bluetooth may be mentioned as an example of the urgency of the activities planned in this project: according to estimates by the Instat Group, the number of Bluetooth systems sold will increase from approx. 30 million initially (in 2001) to 120, 230, 420 and 680 million (in 2005) in the following years. Because of this gigantic market, the competition is exceptionally fierce, and hence the requirements in terms of price, size and power consumption, as well as the risk, are extremely high. To ensure that European semiconductor manufacturers can secure a good market share in this area, it is crucial to increase the speed and reliability of the design steadily over several product generations.